| Have you ever purchased something and then | | | | need for a consistent action and consistency of |
| immediately realized you wish you hadn't, or tried to | | | | behavior brings the bettor into a pattern that |
| figure out how that salesperson at the store or door | | | | matches the initial action. The bettor then will |
| got you to purchase something you never really | | | | continue with the same pattern since they feel |
| wanted in the first place? | | | | justified, or they feel they must justify their previous |
| This recently happened to a friend of mine named | | | | actions. |
| John. You see, he recently got his carpets cleaned | | | | Many times we fool ourselves into thinking that we |
| for free. After having hung up the phone and trying | | | | must continue to act in a certain way so as to be |
| to figure out what he got himself into when he | | | | consistent with our previously held belief system and |
| signed for the free carpet cleaning he knew | | | | patterns of action. Being wishy-washy or inconsistent |
| something was up because one never gets | | | | is usually seen as a negative thing. |
| something for free, not from a total stranger | | | | The Third: Social Proof |
| anyway. | | | | Social justification is a strong trigger. It is often also |
| Those nagging doubts were nothing compared to the | | | | called peer-pressure. It simply describes a desire to |
| regretted purchase of a $2,000 vacuum that left him | | | | act in a manner that other people think of as correct. |
| scratching his head thinking. "Now how did that | | | | It usually defines most people's ideas about correct |
| happen?" Especially when he was not even thinking | | | | behavior. We often feel a behavior is correct or |
| about purchasing one before he had his carpets | | | | justified if we see others performing this behavior. |
| shampooed for free. | | | | It's the old adage "monkey see monkey do." |
| It got me to thinking about the power of persuasion | | | | Social pressure or compliance to accepted behavior |
| in its many different forms. Has this ever happened | | | | generally means we will make fewer mistakes if we |
| to you? From time to time we all find ourselves | | | | act the same way others do. Usually there is some |
| buying something we hadn't intended to, or coming | | | | social evidence against or for the behavior. What |
| home with something we really didn't want. | | | | people around us do is usually seen as the correct |
| Most of the time we are blissfully unaware of the | | | | thing to do. In most circumstances this is true, |
| forces that motivate us to purchase things we had | | | | staying in the lines while driving or at the grocery |
| not intended to, and it is a driving force behind | | | | check out lines are prime examples. |
| today's need to have it society that is living beyond | | | | Another example of how it is being used to |
| their means. However, it can also help salespeople | | | | manipulate people is in sit-com television. More and |
| make their living. | | | | more shows are being aired that would have |
| History, society, and its cultures have conditioned | | | | formerly been found to be repulsive by the masses. |
| people to be vulnerable to six highly specific catalysts | | | | This is simply because of the canned laughter used |
| for behavior motivation or change. They are ingrained | | | | by the shows imply that others like it, so should you. |
| so deeply that they are readily used for persuasion | | | | And it has been an effective technique since the first |
| by people of all sorts. | | | | sit-com aired many years ago. |
| A comprehensive analysis performed by Dr. Robert | | | | Research suggests that audiences will laugh longer |
| Cialdini in is publication "The New Psychology of | | | | and harder when the cue is implied. It is even |
| Modern Persuasion," states that these tactics "can | | | | effective for substandard behavior that otherwise |
| make us unwittingly switch from objection to | | | | would be directly repulsive or unentertaining. Its direct |
| acceptance to compliance regardless of our intent." | | | | and effective motivation deeply effects consumer |
| Behavioral Occurrences in Nature and Society | | | | behavior and thus improves a production companies |
| These fixed action patterns are nearly mechanical | | | | or commercials effect. |
| and commonly seen in mating rituals of different | | | | The Fourth: Liking |
| species. Commonly an activation trigger is a | | | | Knowing and liking someone may be one of the |
| commonly threaded feature. This is usually a specific | | | | biggest motivators yet. It certainly is a very strong |
| attribute that compels the other to react. This may | | | | trigger. Either knowing and liking someone, or wanting |
| include direct eye contact, color patterns, or | | | | them to know and like us may motive us to comply |
| pre-behavior cues. | | | | with many things. |
| In an experiment with turkeys, hens cuddled fake | | | | This can be seen in most network marketing |
| cats with bared teeth and fangs simply because they | | | | businesses. Simply get the hostess to invite people |
| emulated the cheep-cheep sound like a chick. The | | | | who know and like her, or that she knows and likes |
| distress cal overrode all the other instinctual cues. | | | | and they will feel obligated to purchase something |
| Even in face of danger the hens tried to console | | | | form a complete stranger. We can see this in |
| their "chicks" due to a strong instinct to preserve the | | | | Tupperware, make-up businesses, and other hostess |
| species. | | | | and party type based network marketing home |
| This stereotypical behavior is useful due to its | | | | businesses. Those who come to the party will |
| efficient form and automatic form of behavior | | | | purchase things form someone they hardly know just |
| patterns in a complex environment. | | | | because they like the hostess and feel obligated. |
| Attempting to decipher every observation on the | | | | They feel good about their purchases simply base on |
| matters of behavioral persuasion is impractical and | | | | this fact. |
| time consuming. It could become time consuming and | | | | Other network marketers take a different angle. |
| paralyzing. Therefore, shortcuts need to be made. | | | | They attempt, and sometimes successfully, to |
| Stereotypical rules-of-thumb can help greatly to | | | | establish a friendly relationship in an effort to get you |
| advance us each day through the rigors placed on us | | | | to like them. A prime example is a car salesman who |
| by the media. Then, when we encounter these, we | | | | made the Guinness Book of World Records as the |
| could respond accordingly. Then these socially | | | | "world's greatest salesman" by selling five cars per |
| acceptable and accepted behaviors could work out | | | | day using this tactic and offering a fair price. |
| well for us. | | | | The Fifth: Authority |
| Humans, unfortunately, are just as susceptible as | | | | Many are compelled by authority to act on given |
| turkeys to behavioral modification triggers. Often | | | | commands. Its lead or be lead trigger that makes |
| time these triggers can be activated by "compliance | | | | most follow authority to "safety." It signals the |
| professionals," such as sales people and the media. It | | | | willingness of humans to go to any extreme length |
| would be efficient to have the six triggers that | | | | while submitting themselves to commands from |
| compel us to act in a certain way committed to our | | | | authority figures. It also shows the sheer strength |
| knowledge base so we can understand what makes | | | | authority has on people. |
| us react in a certain way given each situation. | | | | It has its advantages when placed in society. In |
| The First: Reciprocation | | | | general, an accepted system of authority allows for |
| Reciprocity is a rule about repayment. We should try | | | | the development of a social structure to take on a |
| to repay what others have provided to us in some | | | | sophisticated nature and develop systems for |
| way. It says that we are obligated to return | | | | commerce, leadership, defense, and enables a society |
| compensation for favors, gifts, invitations and even in | | | | to move as a whole toward a common goal. It |
| conversations. It is a crucial aspect to species survival | | | | benefits such things in society as resource protection, |
| and to progress of civilization. Its meaning is evident; | | | | trade, expansion, social justice, and a government |
| we can give things away without fear of loosing | | | | control that would be hard to impart without it. |
| resources and thus protect, or even increase | | | | Because authority implies access for followers to |
| resources. | | | | more resources, and implies protection of resources |
| We can see evidence in this from the phrase "much | | | | and life, it makes it easy to get people to comply |
| obliged" which stems from the more natural "thank | | | | with those in authority. The notion of complying with |
| you." Cultural studies show that there is not a culture | | | | authority is generally trained from birth on as the |
| on this planet that does not adhere to this rule. It | | | | right thing to do, and the necessary thing to follow |
| keeps us from appearing to be moochers, ingrates, | | | | and disobedience is deemed wrong or discouraged. |
| or appearing lazy. | | | | One famous study we have all heard of if we have |
| There are two major examples of this that can be | | | | ever taken a course on psychology of the human |
| readily seen in society. One famous one is that of | | | | mind is that of a panel of participants who were |
| the Hare Krishna religious sect. After failed attempts | | | | under the command of an authority figure wearing a |
| to raise adequate contributions they resorted to | | | | lab coat. The lab coat wearing participants were |
| different tactics. They adopted reciprocity and gave | | | | instructed to steadily implement increasingly painful |
| out flowers to passerby. After refusing to accept | | | | shocks to another third panel of participants. |
| the flowers back, they then requested a donation. | | | | Unknown to the participants following the lab coat |
| This approach helped strangers overcome their fear, | | | | wearers orders, the third group really were not |
| distrust, and dislike for the sect. their donations soon | | | | receiving shocks at all. But that did not stop them |
| skyrocketed. | | | | from continually turning up the shock level of the |
| A second form can be seen in another group for | | | | machine and repeatedly administering shocks no |
| disabled veterans. After going door to door | | | | matter how much pain the third participants |
| requesting donations they son decided to try | | | | pretended to be in. |
| reciprocity. They simply gave home owners a lapel | | | | The Sixth: Scarcity |
| pin and asked it they would mind wearing it for a | | | | Ever see those "limited time" offers? Scarcity is a |
| few days. Then they moved on to giving them free | | | | trigger used to imply dwindling resources and a must |
| yard sign as a method of support. Finally, they came | | | | have desire. Its appeal is based on merits that imply |
| back around and requested donations. Their | | | | it's unavoidable to run out, or will be completely |
| donations rose by over 75% that year. | | | | unavailable at some point and must be pickled up |
| The Second: Commitment and Consistency | | | | now. As long as it is less available, on a limited supply |
| This trigger comes from a desire to appear to be | | | | basis, has an imposed deadline, or is extremely rare it |
| consistent with our previous actions or implied actions. | | | | will be perceived as very valuable. |
| Once we have made a choice or taken a stand on | | | | The ubiquitous time-sensitive offerings used in |
| an issue or topic, we inevitably think we must comply | | | | marketing make this claim all too clearly. They imply |
| with various pressures that would cause us to | | | | that customer must purchase this item before it is |
| comply with our earlier commitments. This would | | | | too late. These are often staring us straight in the |
| then, justify our earlier decisions. We would strive to | | | | face as one time sales events, never really |
| base all future actions on this emotion rather than | | | | going-out-of-business sales, fake count down timers, |
| clearly thought out, rational actions based on logic. | | | | and other compelling offers such as "a limited number |
| We can best see this behavior in action at casinos, | | | | will be sold," or "a limited number may join." |
| race tracks, and other sources of gambling. Before | | | | In reality, the supply is not really limitless, nor is |
| the first bet is placed, usually a lot of thought goes | | | | anything in the virtual or real world that can be |
| into the decision. Mostly the bettor will try to | | | | produced by man ever going to suddenly disappear |
| understand if the best choice was made. After the | | | | forever. At least this is not usually the case in our |
| first bet has been made there is no going back. The | | | | lifetimes. |